Epidemiology of Congenital Heart Disease in India

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) affect a large number of newborns and account for a high proportion of infant mortality worldwide. There are regional differences in the prevalence and distribution pattern of CHDs. The aim of this study is to estimate the distribution pattern and prevalence of CHDs among the population of north-central India and to compare the results with studies in other regions of the country to get an overview of prevalence of CHDs in India.

We carried out a prospective study in the outpatient department of a tertiary care referral center in north-central India. This study was carried out from January 2011 to April 2014, with 34 517 individuals being recruited for the study. All patients were examined by chest x-ray, electrocardiogram, and 2D echocardiography. Prevalence rate per 1000 individuals examined was calculated. Relative frequencies of individual CHD types as a proportion of total CHDs were also calculated.

Out of 34 517 individuals examined, 661 were diagnosed with CHDs, giving a prevalence of 19.14 per 1000 individuals. The most common defect was ventricular septal defect (33%), followed by atrial septal defect (19%) and tetralogy of Fallot (16%). The majority of CHD cases (58%) diagnosed were between 0 and 5 years of age. The prevalence of CHDs in adults was 2.4 per 1000 individuals in this cohort, with atrial septal defect (44.5%) being the most frequent defect.

The prevalence of CHDs in our cohort was high, possibly because of the power of the diagnostic methods we used and the inclusion of all age groups. Adults with CHDs may significantly contribute to the prevalence of CHDs in the next generation, and this needs to be considered when estimating prevalence rates. Although several small regional studies have been carried out in India, there is an urgent need to establish a nationwide registry/database for congenital heart defects.